Merritt Community Airport Day was back for its second iteration, offering up a family-friendly day of helicopter rides, classic cars, airplanes on display, and food vendors. Hundreds of Merrittonians gathered to celebrate aviation in the Valley, and come together for the first time since the first event in 2019.
A celebration of the 100th anniversary of an airplane first landing in Merritt, the first Community Airport Day was the brainchild of Goeff Scholtens and friend Ray Robinson. The two continue to organize and support the event, but with this year’s second annual event having the support of Experience Nicola Valley, a local tourism non-profit.
In addition to the food trucks, helicopter rides, and classic car and airplane show, and booths by local non-profit organizations, there was a small ceremony held to show appreciation to pilots who brought more than 400,000 pounds of supplies to Merritt during the November 2021 flooding event and subsequent evacuation. Members of the West Coast Pilot Club and BC Airlift Emergency Response Operations (BC AERO) attended the event to receive this thanks.
MLA Jackie Tegart, MP Dan Albas, and Mayor Linda Brown spoke at the event, all noting the importance of aviation in the community, and showing their appreciation for the pilots and crews who supported Merritt in its time of need.
Copy of 2022 Bass Coast by Marius Auer
